Swimming-machine



A. H. JAHNSON. SWIMMING MACHINE. APPLlcAloNrvlLEv ocr. 14. 1915.

l Patented Aug. 1,1916

ALEX H. JAHNSGN, 0F HICKS'VILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO'I-IERMAN MEYER, OF ROSLYN, NEW YORK.k

SWIMMING-lineman Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Aug. il, 1916.

Application led October 14, 1915. Serial No. 55,885.

and exact description thereof, reference be' ing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel swimming machine or apparatus for use by swimmers.

Its object is to provide a light portable machine by which a person can not only safely sustain himself in the water, but can. readily propel himself through the water rapidly with 'small physical exertion.

The machine is light and can be easily transported, can be pa'cked in very small compass, and can be used as a life-saving apparatus in case of need as it possesses sufficient buoyancy to support a person in lthe water.

I will explain the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and summarize in the claims the essential novel features and combinations of parts of the invention for which protection is desired.

In said drawings: Figure lis a side elevation of the machine showing the manner of using same; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of such machine; Fig. 3 is a detail section' on line' 3 3, Fig. Q, looking in the direction of the arrows with floats in operative position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. l.

The machine as shown in the drawings comprises a frame or supporting board 1 which is adapted to be placed in front of and against the body vof the wearer when in the water; 4said frame l is preferably tapered from front to rear, and when in use projects in front of the swimmer, as indicatedvinFig. 1; and the front end of this frame usually projects ,out of the water when the device is underside, and said frame may have its rear end widenedasshown at lcso as tovgive it a firm comfortable bearing against the body of the wearer When the device is in use.

. Attached to the frame preferably near its rear end are a pair of floats 4 which are preferably 4adjustably connected to the frame lby connections which will enable the fioats to come above the surface near the shoulders of the wearer, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that the floats will support the wearer and vframe in the Water. These oats 4 .may be of any suitable kind, and are preferably constructed so as to offer the least obstruction to the movement of the machine in the water. lThe 'floats may be provided with flexible straps 44a of any suitable material, preferably having two or more eyes or loops 4", any of which eyes can be engaged with a U-shaped holder 4, the ends 4d of which holder are adapted to be sprung into engagement with eyes 5a on the ends of a metal slide 5. The U-shaped holders have sufficient resiliency to make them to be engaged or disengaged at will from the eyes 5a.

The slide connection enables the fioats to be adj usted comfortably beneath the arms of the wearer, as shown in Fig. l, and the slide 5 can be vfastened in adjusted position by means of a screw and thumb nut 5b as indicated in the drawings, or other suitable devices. By engaging the holders 4c with different eyes 4b of the straps 4 the floats can be connected to the body so as to support the wearer in more or less submerged position.

Attached to the upper side of the frame near the head thereof is a standard 6 which may be detachably and adj ustably secured to the body. As sho-wn it has a stud 6 on its lower end adapted' to engage any of a series of holes 1e in the frame, and to be fastened in place by a thumb screw 6c or other suitable means. To the upper end of this standard is pivoted a double paddle shaft 7, which may be pivoted to a U-bracket 7 in turn pivoted to the top of standard 6. The paddle shaft may have enlarged disks 7b on its ends so as to have considerable-surface in engagement with the water.

y reason of the pivoted engagement of the paddle shaft 7 with the bracket'7 and the pivoted connection of the latter to the standard 6 the paddle can be operated like a double canoe-paddle, by the swimmer lying on the frame in the water; the swimmer grasping the paddle shaft with his hands, as indicated in Fig. l, and operating the same through the water.

vso

like a double canoe-paddle vwith perfect` freedom.

With this machine. the swimmer 1s supported inthe water so that his head will be I unsubmerged and he can.' freely use the paddle to propel himself with great speed With this machine the resistance or fricf tion oferedto the passage of thel swimmer through the water ,is reduced to the minimum.

The paddle disk vor en-d is practically out of the water on its return movement, so that no resistance to the forward regress of the machine is caused by the pad les in making their return stroke; and when one paddle end is making its return stroke the other is acting effectively on the waterto propel the sw1mmer; so no power is lost,-

and the swimmerv is not compelled to vmake any eXtra exertion in order to return a paddle from the end of its active stroke to the beginnin of its next active stroke. The angle at wh1ch the paddle'shaft is pivoted to the standard is such that the paddle or disk on the'end vof the paddle shaft easily enters and leaves the water and practically -the full broad side face of the paddle acts.

against the water when submerged. Of course when one end of the paddle shaft is in the `water the other end is out so that, as stated,l no resistance is offered by the paddles against the forward propulsion in the water.

The machine can be folded compactly so that it can Ibe readily transported or it can be readily taken apart and packed in small space for transport or storage. The same frame can be 'comfortably used by persons of different size by adjusting the standard thereon in such yposition that the paddle shaft can be easily grasped and operated by the swimmer, and he can make full strokes with the paddle without feeling incumbered by the frame or floats. The floats are adjusted lengthwise tof the frame so that the straps or connectors 4 will come under the arms of the swimmer 'at the shoulders, and when properly adjusted to suit the height of the swimmer they can be fastened in position by manipulating the thumb nut 5b. The straps 4 are preferably provided f with a plurality of eyes so that the same machine can be adjusted to suitfpeople of -als .different chest measurements. The U-shaped connectors 4c can be easily lsprunginto or out of engagement with the Aeyes on the slide 5, and the holders 4 engaged with the proper eyes of the straps 4 to lengthen or shorten the distance between the floats according to the chest measurement of the wearer; and then the holder can be readily rengaged with the slides, and the machine is ready for use. The floats 4 may be made pneumatic vor of any suitable material,

ythough I prefer to make them ofcork.y I

also prefer to make the head on the fronty end of the frame of cork. The frame-being tapered'from front to rear offers less resistance to the water, and will remain more stable in contact lwithl the body of the swimmer while he is using the machine. The, widened or flared end lc ofthe -framefgives such end a firm 'bearing against the body of the swimmer and assists in preventing oscillation of the machine while the swimmer is operating the paddles. As the standard and paddle .are practically' out of water when the machine is in use except so much of the paddle as may be momentarilyl enaged with the'water at any time, vthis would e a dead weight upon the machine, but this is compensated for by the buoyant head 2 on the front end of the frame, and by the width of the front end of the frame which assists in balancing the Imachine and in supporting the dead weight thereonA when the swimmer is in action.

What I claim is:

1. In a' swimming machine, a frame, an oscillatory paddle supported on the front end of said frame, and floats connected with said frame in rear of the paddle and adapted to be adjusted to support the body of the swimmer, substantially as specified.

2. In a-swimmngfmachine the combination of a frame, floats connected with the frame so as to be adjustable to suit the swimmer, a standard mounted upon the front end of the frame, vand a paddle pivotally connected with said standard adapted to be operated by the hands of the swimmer.

3. In a swimming machine the combination of a frame havlng a buoyant head and a keel, floats connected to the frame' adapted to be adjusted to suit the swimmer, and a paddlel 'pivotally connected to said frame solas to be operable by the hands of the swimmer. i

4. In a swimming machine the combination of a frame having a keel, floats connected to' the frame adapted to be adjusted to suit the swimmer, a standard adjustably attached to the front end of the frame, and a paddle pivotally connected to said' standard so as to be operable by the hands of the sw1mmer.

5. A swimming machine comprising a frame having a keel, a pair of floats adan oscillatory paddle pivotally mounted n upon said standard and adapted to be operated by the hands of the swimmer..

A swimrrnng machine comprising a frame having a keel and a buoyant head,

floats attached to the frame adapted to be adjusted to suit the swimmer', and a paddle attached to the forward end of the frame adjacent the head thereof.

8. A swimming machine comprising a f s frame having a keel and a Ibuoyant head,

oats adjustably attached to the frame adjacent the rear end thereof, an oscillatory paddle pivotally mounted upon the frame near the front end thereof adapted to be operated by the hands of the swimmer.

9. A swimming machine comprising a tapered frame having a buoyant head on its larger end, floats adjustably attached tothe frame adjacent the 4rear end thereof, and propelling devices attached to the forward end of the body adjacent the head thereof and adapted to' be operated by the hands of the swimmer.- j

10. A swimming machine comprising a frame having-a keel and a buoyant head,

jacent the rear end thereof, a standard adjustably attached to the frame 'near the front end thereof, and an oscillatory paddle floats adjustably attached to the frame adpivotally mounted upon said standard and operated 'bythe hands of the mel'.

In testimony that l-claim the foregoing as my own, aliix my signature.

ALEX JAHNSON. 

